Evacuations underway at Lake Wa-Con-Da in Cass County

LAKE WA-CON-DA, Neb. – Emergency response officials told Lake Wa-Con-Da residents Friday afternoon to grab everything that matters to them and get somewhere safe as the Missouri River continues to hit record highs in Cass County.

The American Red Cross has set up a shelter at the Plattsmouth Community Center for anyone displaced from their homes. Volunteers are on hand to provide a safe place to stay, a place to sleep and a hot meal.

Overnight, the Missouri River at Plattsmouth hit a record high of 37.15 feet.

Nehawka Volunteer Fire Department Chief Michael McIntire says their main concern at the lake is water coming underneath the levee.

“The water is pretty high. It’s up against the back of the levee. It’s about three feet from the top (as of 5 p.m. Friday). The water is pushing under the levee into the lake, so right now first responders are trying to put sand on top of that to get it to stop.”

Several county trucks have been dumping sand to be pushed into the lake and put pressure on top of the leak to slow it down.

McIntire says, despite the somber mood, the response to the evacuation has been good and everyone who’s evacuating is about done. He advises only people who are evacuating are allowed in the the lake community. No onlookers are allowed.

The evacuation notice is in effect until further notice.

Nebraska rivers hit record levels

World-Herald News Service

A few rivers have hit record levels overnight as National Weather Service meteorologists caution that water levels will continue to rise for the next several days.

No additional moisture is expected in the coming days that will add to the totals, other than a low chance of snow Monday night, said weather service meteorologist Dave Eastlack.

“We’re probably not going to see some kind of receding until mid- or late next week,” he said.

Eastlack stressed that motorists should not drive through water, for their own safety and to avoid tying up first responder resources.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expects the Missouri River at Omaha to crest at 33.7 feet by Sunday, but City of Omaha officials said the river is not expected to compromise the 13 miles of levee it controls.

The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge is closed because of flooding on the Council Bluffs side of the bridge.